


a love for me

by oilpaints (orphan_account)



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Birthday, Established Relationship, Gen, M/M, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 05:31:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10633248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/oilpaints
Summary: “It must be nice to have a love like that.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> a love letter to kawanishi taichi and one of my favourite rarepairs. happy birthday, kawanishi! 
> 
> i actually completely forgot about his birthday, but have this quick drabble. it was never meant to be so sappy, but i listened to “perfect” by ed sheeran (‘we are still kids / but we're so in love’ + ‘darling you look perfect tonight’) and i’m weak for fluff. anyways, please enjoy!

 

 

Kawanishi wakes up to dawn’s rosy fingers knocking on his window and his phone vibrating on his nightstand. The sunlight streaming in through his windows is pale, and the birds aren’t twittering outside yet. _Odd,_ considering they’re usually singing in the morning like a glorified alarm clock. He was unfortunate enough to have a room by a tree where the birds adore nesting in. Blinking at the clock on his phone, he realizes that it’s barely six o’clock in the morning, and that he has two messages from _Yamagata-san._

>  > happy b-day, sleepyhead!!! 
> 
> > love you.

Like every other day, there’s an image attached. Yamagata developed a habit of sending him blurry pictures of the sunrise long before they were even dating, and today seems to be no different. It’s a snapshot of the pale blue sky streaked in hazy pink clouds, and he can’t tell if it was taken from Yamagata’s bedroom window or if he’s already outside. 

> < thanks. love u too. are u going on a morning run or?
> 
> > o shit sorry i didnt mean to wake u. go back to sleep u still have some time.
> 
> > and na i dont think i have enough time, we have morning practice anyway
> 
> < why r u up so early, then?
> 
> > idk!! sending u pics at ass o’clock in the morning is tradition u kno!!

Kawanishi snorts. _Jerk,_  he mutters, but to his dismay he sounds more endeared than annoyed. He gets up, preparing himself for the onslaught of attention he’ll inevitably get today. _Does it feel any different to be seventeen? Did you get_ taller, _Taichi-kun? Any plans for today? We should go out as a team!_ He sighs and stares at the ceiling. He’s already feeling tired. He wonders if he could skip morning practice, since it’s Saturday _and_ his birthday, but he’s jolted out of his thoughts by a new notification.

> > oh and the team’s taking u out for sukiyaki but shh u didnt hear that from me

Kawanishi smiles softly at message, pressing his fingers to his mouth. He already knows that Yamagata was the one who suggested to do something, and Shirabu was probably the one who told them what his favourite food is. He starts to get up and find his sports bag. Maybe today won’t be so bad, after all.

 

.

.

.

.

 

You watch quietly as the rest of the team gives Kawanishi their birthday wishes. He looks a little overwhelmed, eyes wide just a fraction and ears rosy at the tips. Everyone’s saving their gifts for later, except for Shirabu, who said, “Happy birthday, asshole,” and tossed him a square package tied in simple ribbon as soon as he walked into the changing rooms.

You shove your practice jersey over your head before turning around to see that everyone has gone back to changing. Kawanishi’s changing his shirt, and you can see the moles dotting his neck and trailing down his back, scattered along his body like skin stars.

You smile fondly and turn back to your locker.

 

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.

.

 

“Hey, Taichi,” Shirabu says, once practice is nearing it’s end. Kawanishi turns down to look at him and catches what could almost be a smile. “Do you have any plans for tonight?” he asks, eyes flickering to Yamagata, who’s talking animatedly to the first years.

Kawanishi cuffs him in the head. “No,” he says. “And don’t poke fun of me, I’m older than you.”

“By a _month_ , okay, a _month!”_  Shirabu says indignantly, slapping his hand away. “I was just _asking_ because — ”

“ — we’re planning to take you out as a team,” Tendou says, slinging an arm over his shoulder. The rest of the third years follow. “There’s a nice sukiyaki place that we can head down to, at around, say, six? We can all meet by the train station. What do you say, birthday boy?”

Kawanishi nods, offering him a small twitch of the lips. “Sounds good,” he says.

 

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.

.

 

You came into Kawanishi’s room to drag him to the train station earlier. You kissed the mole on the shell of his ear and the corner of his mouth, wished him happy birthday about three times, then promised him that he could leave the restaurant whenever he’s tired of social interaction. Then again, you know two reasons why he’ll end up coming and staying:mostly for the food, but also, so he can poke fun of Shirabu for being (a month) younger than him.

“I’m not that predictable,” he says.

“Oh yes you are,” you say, grinning all the while. “Sit next to me on the train?”

He brushes his hand against yours briefly, your little fingers intertwining for a second. “Of course,” he says softly. “As long as I don’t wind up next to Tendou-san. He won’t stop asking me if I got taller.”

As luck has it, he ends up in-between you and Tendou, who’s currently chatting his ear off. Kawanishi just looks resigned, occassionally nodding and shaking his head. You snicker and put your hand on his knee. His eyes dart to you but he doesn’t move to remove it, so you keep it there for a while.

You watch how his nose scrunches up and his mouth purses, like he’s tasted something sour as Tendou tries to check his height. Even this facial expression is endearing. All of them are. You tap your fingers on his knees absently, watching his face relax again as Tendou starts talking about something else. _Manga,_ maybe.

The afternoon sunlight filters in through the train windows and turns Kawanishi’s hair into a tangled mess of spun gold and his eyes into two suns. You can’t help but stare.

 

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.

 

The restaurant smells like onions frying, and it’s filled with the sound of chatter. Kawanishi takes a seat at the very corner of the table, and Shirabu takes a seat next to him in order to escape socializing. Yamagata takes a seat next to Reon and opposite to him, kicking him gently under the table to catch his attention. Kawanishi looks up just in time to see him flash a grin in his direction. He smiles back at him faintly, their ankles knocking together before he turns back to Shirabu.

Shirabu has stopped talking, eyeing him with a knowing gleam in his eyes. It could just be the low lighting, but Kawanishi knows better. “What’s with that look?” he asks.

“Nothing, I’ve just never seen you look at someone that way,” he says, shrugging. “It must be nice to have a love like that.”

“Yeah,” Kawanishi murmurs, eyes flickering to his boyfriend, talking to Reon from across the table. He turns back to Shirabu, patting his head condescendingly. He knows that Shirabu probably has someone in mind, given the way his eyes darted to the other end of the table. “You’ll find out when you’re older.”

All traces of softness disappear from Shirabu’s eyes. “A month,” he snaps, hitting his arm. “You’re older than me by _a month._  I should’ve put a poisonous snake in your gift.”

Semi snorts, apparently having overheard despite being on the opposite end of the table. Even Tendou leans forward to say, “Don’t hurt the birthday boy, Kenjirou-kun~♪”

Shirabu ignores them and threatens to poke his eyes out with his chopsticks. Kawanishi just chuckles.

 

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.

 

You watch Kawanishi bicker with Shirabu as per usual while waiting for the food, smiling a little all the while. He’s happy, you can tell. His shoulder’s aren’t slouched and his eyebrows are relaxed. Everyone is chatting and laughing, and you can’t help but join the merry celebration.

“How long have you two been dating, again?” Reon asks.

You hum, drumming your fingers on the wooden table. “A few months, give or take?” you answer, shrugging lightly.

He nods at this. “You’ve gotten even happier, since then. I’m glad you two finally got together.”

“Thanks, Reon,” you say. “At least you don’t have to deal with my pining anymore, huh?”

He chuckles and you grin, watching as Kawanishi laughs at something Shirabu said. The light gets caught up in his hair and the line of his throat. It’s still the most beautiful thing you’ve ever heard.

You shake your head and turn back to Reon and the others, joining in their conversation about practice earlier and how Semi nearly shoved Tendou into the volleyball cart out of annoyance.

You laugh and talk with the rest until the food arrives. Kawanishi’s eyes light up just a little bit at the sight of it, his lips twitching. Your eyes meet, and you smile right back at him.

 

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“Boy, am I full!” Tendou yells on their way out of the restaurant. Ushijima tells him to lower his voice a little, it’s already very late. Kawanishi glances up at the reminder to see the stars coming to view.

He licks his lips and clears his throat, surprised when everyone turns to look at him. Kawanishi blinks. “Thank you very much,” he says quietly. “It was a wonderful birthday present. I appreciate it a lot.”

“Well,” Tendou says slowly, “how about another song?”

Shirabu groans. “We already sang him the birthday song inside. We’re in the middle of the street. That’s just ridiculous — ”

“ _Happy birthday to you_ …” Semi starts to sing quietly, eyes gleaming. Shirabu sighs. Tendou laughs loudly and starts to sing along. Goshiki joins in enthusiastically, and even Ushijima’s low voice can be heard. Kawanishi feels himself smiling when Shirabu sighs again and join in with his own soft voice. He can hear Reon in the back. Yamagata is singing along horrendously, as well — he can’t hold a tune to save his life, but Kawanishi just finds that endearing — and the rest join in. They’re still just a motley group of teenagers walking along the sidewalk and singing an off-key version of the happy birthday song, and they must be quite a sight to the other passersby, but it warms his heart nonetheless.

“Happy birthday to...” The voices start to clash, some sing _Kawanishi-kun_ , others _Kawanishi_ or _Kawanishi-san,_  and he catches Shirabu’s faint _Taichi._ “Happy birthday to you!”

Everyone bursts into laughter and scattered applause, some of them approaching to rub his head or smile. Shirabu rolls his eyes but he grins up at Kawanishi all the same. After everything dies down, everyone goes back to whatever they were doing, and even Shirabu gets whisked off into a debate with the other second years. Kawanishi lingers behind and finds Yamagata by his side.

“Had fun?” he asks.

“Yeah,” he mutters, staring up at the stars overhead. The moon smiles back at him. “It was a nice night. I’m glad I spent my birthday this way.”

“Are you heading home tomorrow?”

“Yeah, just for a day.”

“Hm, on Monday, then,” Yamagata says. “Maybe we can go out and do something? Just the two of us,” he offers, his hand tentatively nudging his like another silent question.

“Of course,” Kawanishi says. He smiles and takes Yamagata’s hand.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> _‘my heart, so precious, i won’t trade it for a hundred thousand souls, yet your one smile takes it for free’ _**— rumi**__


End file.
